Stray
by mandancie
Summary: One stray thing can change a life upside down. Hurt!Sam; Overprotective!Dean Rated T to be safe. Please read and review. A birthday present for a wonderful person!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural, but I do love playing around with them.**

**A special thanks to AlElizabeth for beta'ing my story.**

**A/N: This is a special story for a special person! :) Today is her birthday, and I could not do something special for her on her special day! :) _HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ITSMECOON! :)_**

**Stray**

**Summary: One stray thing can change a life upside down.**

**Sam-14; Dean-19**

**Chapter 1**

It's been a normal day. Sam was walking back to the school from his soccer practice. Dean was standing by the Impala in front of the school.

"Dean," Sam called out.

Dean looked up and saw Sam walking towards him with a tired smile on his face. He figured Sam would be tired from all the workouts and drills that his team had done today in practice. Of course Dean never left the side of the field until the practice was over. He decided to wait at the car while the team went to the lockers to change from their uniforms to their regular clothes.

"Sammy," Dean said looking up from the magazine he was reading.

Sam was tired. But he had fun. He saw joining the team as good exercise as well as making new friends. He saw his brother leaning on the place they've called home for all of his life. Even though he was tired he couldn't help but to smile at him. He loved his big brother. Even when he would get on his nerves or be overbearing, he loved him.

Dean stood up straight from the leaning on the car when he saw Sam. He took a few steps when the unimaginable happened.

BANG!

A shot rang out. Dean instinctively ducked to the ground. He stood up to hear tires squealing away from the parking lot. Dean stood up and watched the car leave. Once the car was gone, Dean had one priority; Sam.

"Sammy!" Dean turned towards the field and what he saw made his stomach churn. "Sam..."

The expression on Sam's face was one of pure fear. He really didn't feel anything. Not really. Just something hit his chest hard. He looked to the only place, the only person, that would let him know everything was going to be alright.

"D'n," Sam gurgled out. He gasped and coughed and something wet and red spittle out of his mouth. Sam looked down and saw red. When he looked up again, Dean was right in front of him. Their eyes met and for the first time in Sam's life Dean looked genuinely scared.

"D'n," Sam's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and collapsed to the ground.

Dean caught Sam on his way to the ground. Dean opened up Sam's now blood-soaked button down shirt to see where the blood was coming from.

"Sammy stay with me," Dean voice was panicked, but the mantra continued. "Come on, Sammy, stay with me. I'm gonna take care of you. My pain-in-the-ass little brother."

Dean saw all the blood and knew that he had to get to the hospital. He scooped his baby brother in his arms. With one arm around Sam's shoulders and the other under his knees, Dean picked up his too-small-for-his-age baby brother and carried him straight home. Talking to him all the way 'home.'

Once he got to the Impala, their true home, he carefully laid his precious bundle in the front seat. He had thought of putting Sam in the back, but he just didn't have the heart. His baby brother had just been shot and he was too scared, even if he would deny it if someone asked but he needed to feel Sam breathing. Even though it was labored, if he was taking in breaths that meant that he was still alive. Dean crawled over Sam; he just didn't have the heart of strength to take him out of his sight. When he finally got in the driver's seat, the sound of the V8 engine came to life. Dean drove the car out of the parking lot and headed to the nearest hospital. One hand on the wheel and the other holding a bloody rag on Sam's chest while his head lay on Dean's thigh.

"It's gonna be alright, baby brother. I will always make it better." Dean spared a glanced down at his brother. Even though he was still breathing, labored, Sam's face was becoming ashen and pale. This put a whole new worry for his Sammy and his foot made the gas pedal go all the way to the floor.

"Just a few more minutes, Sammy."

_0000_0000_0000_0000_0000_0000_

The Impala drove straight to the front door of the Emergency Room. Slamming the car into park and shutting it off, he, very carefully, pulled Sam out from the driver's side. Cradling his brother to his chest, Dean rushed into the hospital screaming for help.

Two nurses and three orderlies came running towards Dean one wheeling a gurney, the others running along side it.

"What happened?" one of the nurse asked trying to pry Dean's hand from the young boy.

"I-I..." Dean stammered. "He w-was shot. He was com-coming back... from pra-practice."

Another nurse walked up to Dean and tried to pry his hands off of Sam so that they could put him on the gurney. She felt Dean's hand tighten around the small boy.

"Listen," she said soothingly. "We are going to take good care of him." Dean just looked at here. "What's his name?"

"Sammy... Sam," Dean corrected. He knew how much Sammy didn't like people using his nickname.

"How old is he?," the nurse asked.

"Fourteen," Dean said.

"Well," Her voice never going higher than a whisper. "We need to get him to the back so that we can help him. Is he your sibling?"

"He's my brother," Dean whispered out, nodding. "I'm supposed to take care of him." Cradling his baby brother to his chest.

The nurse looked at Dean and could see the hurt and anguish in his eyes. Her heart broke for him. She could tell that he was completely broken up about his brother.

"Well, let me take him," she said reaching for Sam again. "Let me try to save him."

She could feel the grip on Sam loosen. Quickly she took Sam from Dean's arm and placed the small boy on the gurney. She turned back and faced Dean. She could tell that the shock was about to hit him and hit him hard. She watched as they wheeled Sam through the double doors. Once the doors closed, the facade of being strong seemed to melt away from Dean. He looked down at his bloody hands and his hurt and rage seemed to bubble over. Someone actually had the nerve to shoot his brother. Some one had the audacity to hurt his baby brother. So much he wanted to leave so that he could find the asshole that had the nerve to pull the trigger on his baby brother, but his feet would not move. He could not leave the hospital before know full well if Sammy would be alive or dead.

_0000_0000_0000_0000_0000_

Dean paced up and down the carport, when his phone rang.

"Hello," Dean's voice sounded weak and tired.

_"Dean."_

"Dad. Where are you?"

_"You know where we are. It's still the same place," John words, although were not harsh, still sounded like he was agitated. "What's going on, Dean?"_

"You've got to come back."

_"What do you mean? Why would I come back? What's. Going. On?"_

"Someone shot Sammy," Dean gasped out.

It was instantly quiet on the other line. Dean knew he was going to be blamed for this. He braced himself for the screaming comeback that he knew his dad was going to give him.

To his surprise, John didn't yell or blame.

_"Dean," John voice was low and surprisingly calm. "I want you to stay with you brother. I'm on my way back to you. I'll call you when I get into town."_

"Yes sir," Dean's mode of solider snapped back when he heard his father's orders.

_"Dean," John's soothing voice broke Dean's wall. "It's going to be alright. Sammy is going to make it."_

"Yes sir," Dean said and hung up the phone.

Dean walked back into the hospital and to the family waiting room, and did one of the hardest things he would ever do. He waited. Waited for his father. Waited for the doctors. Waited for his baby brother to come back to him.

_0000_0000_0000_0000_0000_000_

It had been three going on four hours since Dean sat down in the family waiting room for word on how Sam was doing. Dean was lying on the couch. His eyes closed. When John walked in the family room, he knew he would probably find Dean like this. He was never good at taking care of himself when something was wrong with Sammy. John had ordered Dean to take a nap after he called about twenty minutes ago when he got into town, and that's how he found Dean.

It was another hour when the doctor came into the waiting room. John shook Dean's shoulder. Instantly, Dean woke up and was on his feet the moment he saw the doctor in the room.

"How is he?" Dean asked not even giving his voice time to recuperate from not talking for so long. "How's my Sammy?"

John looked at his son and then the doctor.

"He's alive, but..."

**TBC**

**A/N: Please be kind and leave a review. I would love to know what you think of my new story! :) **

**Many hugs and kisses to you all**

**Mandancie :)**

**Please follow my Mandancie page on Facebook. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural!**

**A special thanks to _AlElizabeth_ for beta'ing my story. **

**A/N: I am so sorry for the lack of updates. My Supernatural muse have been non existent for a while. I hope you like the update. I will try an update a lot sooner with the next chapter. :) **

**Chapter 2**

It was another hour until the doctor came into the waiting room. John shook Dean's shoulder. Instantly, Dean woke up and was on his feet the moment he saw the doctor.

"How is he?" Dean asked not even giving his voice time to recuperate from not talking for so long. "How's my Sammy?"

John looked at his son and then the doctor.

"He's alive, but there has been complications."

"What kind of complications? What's wrong with my brother?"

John put his hand on Dean's shoulder, but Dean shrugged it off.

"The bullet is now lodged in his spine."

"What do you mean? He was shot from the front." Dean was progressively getting louder and louder. "Just take the damn bullet out!"

"We can't. It would be impossible to do so without seriously harming your brother more than he already is. The bullet is only millimeters from his spine. Any surgery would do more harm than good. Sam is paralyzed on his right side."

Dean felt as if he world just shattered. He couldn't believe it. Sam paralyzed? Those words should not even be in the same sentence together. No. No, I won't believe it, Dean thought.

"Take me to him," Dean's voice was quiet.

"He's in recovery now," the doctor said. "Once he's moved..."

"I don't think you heard me," Dean said cutting the doctor off. "Take me... to my... brother. Now."

"Dean," John voice came from behind him. "Just wait. He'll be in a room soon enough."

Dean turned and looked at his father, incredulously. Why wasn't John demanding to see Sam just as fervently as he was? Didn't he care that Sam might never be the same again because of this?

"Once he's in a room," the doctor said. "A nurse will be out to take you to him."

The doctor turned to leave the waiting room. John followed him.

"Doc," John said. "I was wondering if I could have a word."

John and the doctor walked out of the room, leaving Dean standing in the same spot. He was still trying to wrap his mind around his baby brother being paralyzed. After a few minutes, Dean went and sat back down and played the waiting game again. Dean didn't even notice that John walked back in the room. Dean just sat there.

Another ten minutes passed and a nurse walked into the room.

"Family of Samuel Winchester," she called out.

Dean got up and walked over to her. "Take me to my brother."

She sighed, "Follow me." The nursed turned and led the way towards the patients' rooms. Dean and John followed. They walked what seemed like to Dean as a long time. He was about to ask how much further, when she went into a room.

Dean's breathing began to speed up. He was nervous to see what his brother was going to look like. The last time he had seen his brother, Sam had been covered in blood. Dean took a deep calming breath- the nurses would have cleaned his brother up- and walked in the room.

Sam was lying in the bed. Tubes everywhere. His eyes closed. Not that Dean had expected Sam to be awake. Dean looked at his baby brother. He looked so small. There were tubes coming out of his mouth and one coming out of his side. Dean looked at the nurse. He didn't say anything, but the look on his face clearly showed that he would need an explanation.

"His lung collapsed when the bullet pierced it." Dean looked at the nurse in disbelief. A collapsed lung. Sam's paralyzed. Dean looked down at his baby brother. He carded his fingers through his baby brother's fringe.

"They were able to stop the bleeding in his lung. He will have that tube in his chest, if all goes well, only for a couple of days. Once he wakes, we will learn more."

That last statement angered Dean. They'd already had his brother for several hours and they still didn't know everything? These were doctors and nurses for Christ's sake! John could see the anger rising up in Dean. He walked over to Dean and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Dean," John started, but Dean shrugged his father's hand off.

"There is nothing you can say to me," Dean said looking down at his brother. "This is my fault."

"Dean," John's brow creased. "This is not your fault."

"I shouldn't have left the field. I should've stayed with him and walked with him back to the car."

"It was an accident. It could have happened to anyone."

"No," Dean looked at his father. "No. It didn't happened to just anyone. They came in, pointed that gun, and shot. This was deliberate."

"Dean," John said.

"There's nothing else to say," Dean pulled up a chair and sat down beside his baby brother's bedside, looking at him. "But I will find them." John looked at his oldest son. He could see the hurt and anger in Dean's eyes. Who the hell just picks some random kid off the street to kill? What kind of sick person did that sort of thing? Sure, it could have been _anyone's _kid brother but it had been Sam. Whoever had held that gun decided- made the choice- to pull the trigger- on Sam.

"I'm going to get us some coffee," John said. He patted Dean on the shoulder before walking out of the room.

Dean didn't acknowledge what his father said or that he was leaving the room. The only thing that Dean was focused on was lying in the bed. His little brother's whole life changed in an instant.

"I will find them, Sammy," Dean said not taking his eyes off of his brother. "I'll find them. And then they will die. All of them."

_0000_0000_0000_0000_0000_0000_

The next day, Sam still hasn't woken up. Dean did not and would not leave his baby brother's side. As much as John wanted Dean to go to the hotel that he booked for them, Dean had this conversation earlier. The first thing that Sam sees when he wakes up will be Dean. He was very adamant about that.

John came in the hospital room and saw Dean. He had his head down by Sam's hand on the bed, fast asleep. John looked at his boys and shook his head. Could they ever catch a break, he thought.

"Dean," John called out.

Dean's head shot up. His eyes went to his baby brother. His shoulders sagged a little when he saw that nothing has changed. Sam was still unconscious. Dean looked around and saw their dad standing at the door with two cups.

"Come," John said. "You need to stretch your legs, Dean."

Dean stood up and walked over to John and took one of the cups from him.

"I've told you, Dad. I am not leaving Sammy's side."

"You won't be," John pleaded. "You're just getting a change of scenery. I'll stay with him and if anything happens, you'll be the first to know."

Dean looked at his father as if he grown another head.

"We've had this conversation before." Dean said incredulously. "I. Am not. Leaving. You want to stretch your legs, that's fine with me. Stretch them. But I am not leaving him. He's my baby brother, and I will be here when he opens his eyes. I will be the first thing he sees." Dean's voice steadily getting louder.

Soft moans were beginning to be heard from the bed. At first neither Winchester heard it. But the moans continued.

"Now, if you're done..." Dean stopped mid-sentence and turned and faced the bed. "Sammy." Dean and John rushed to Sam's bedside.

"Come on, baby brother," Dean said in a soothing voice that was only meant for his brother. "I'm right here. Wake up for me, Sammy." Dean had his brother's hand in his; squeezing it just slightly so Sam could feel him near.

Sam's eyelids were fluttering, trying to open but couldn't. Another moan came from the youngest Winchester. Dean sat down in the chair and leaned closer to Sam's ear. He started whispering in his baby brother's ear. John just looked at the interaction between the brothers and was amazed by the way they communicated with each other.

Whatever was being said now, John knew that it was just for Sam's ears, and his ears alone. John respected that between his boys. It was something that they started when they were kids and it continued on as they grew up. John stood there with a small smile on his face looking at his sons. Not because his sons had secrets from him, but while Dean was talking to his brother, tears were falling from his baby's closed eyelids. Whatever Dean was saying to Sam, he was getting a reaction from his brother.

"Wake him up, Dean," John said. His voice quiet, but stern.

Dean whispered a little bit longer and then sat back away from Sam. John looked at his oldest son and saw that he was exhausted. He then looked at his youngest son and saw that his eyes were open. John walked over to the other side of Sam's bed.

"Sammy," John said. Sam eyes slowly met his dad. Even though Sam had been asleep for a least a day, he still looked tired. A small, tired, curl on the side of the youngest mouth brought a grin to John's face. Dean stood back up, still gripping his brother's hand. Sam's eyes left his father and found his brother.

Sam's brow creased. His face scrunched up. His breathing started to heave.

"Hey," Dean soothed out. "Hey, none of that. Just like I said. This is not your fault. It was a stray bullet. We will get through this." With one hand gripping his brother's hand, Dean's other hand was on his baby brother's chest, slowly, soothingly rubbing his chest. "You and me. Always."

Sam slowly nodded. A lone tear streaked down his cheek.

"You and me against the world."

**TBC**

**A/N: Thank you to everyone that followed, favored, and review my story. I hope you continue to support my story. :) **

**Many hugs and kisses to you all**

**Mandancie :)**

**Please follow my Mandancie page on Facebook. :)**


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